NHHS is proud to announce that Emily Scheer has been named the November Student of the Month. Emily is the daughter of Jim and Angie Scheer. At NHHS, Emily is active in FCA (Activities Director), FCCLA (President), FBLA, National Honor Society, Student Council, Shamrock Conservation Association, Pep Squad and Senior class Treasurer. She is also captain of the Shamrock softball and basketball teams. Outside of school, she enjoys sports, road tripping and playing with her dog. After graduating from NHHS, Emily plans to attend Mizzou and major in Animal Science.

Left: Amanda Yates and Ryan Winters from the Lions Club are presenting the check to Jay.

Mr. Doug Peirick, Counselor, has announced that Jay Eichelberger, son of Jim and Gia Eichelberger of New Haven, has been awarded the 2017 Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation (HOBY) Leadership Award for New Haven High School.

Last year approximately 9,000 high school sophomores--tomorrow's leaders--participated in HOBY's Leadership Seminars in the United States. Joseph will be invited to the Missouri seminar to be held in the summer of 2018.This all expense paid state seminar will bring together a select group of high school sophomores with groups of distinguished leaders in business, government, education, and the professions to discuss present and future issues in America's incentive system and the democratic process.During the state seminar, two participants will be chosen to attend the HOBY World Leadership Congress to be held next July.

All sophomores were eligible for nomination.Jay was chosen by his teachers because of his leadership ability, strong decision making skills, and participation in service activities.

Jay is active in basketball, baseball, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Future Business Leaders of America, and the Conservation Club. He is the President of his class, has received the Academic Activity Award his freshman year, made the Four Rivers Academic All Conference Baseball team his freshman year and went to FBLA State competition for Intro to Business his freshman year.He has been on the high honor roll both semesters of his high school career.Jay also participate in community services activities through the organizations he is involved with.He works at his church picnics, has volunteer at the Friendship Plate and also in Drive-by Raking.

The New Haven Lions Club, as they have done for the last several years, is supporting the students at New Haven High School by covering the cost of the HOBY seminar.

The New Haven 8th grade Shamrocks are 1-2 after their third place plaque at the Union Tournament. Their first game after the tournament was against South Calloway and was an disappointing game, with the Shamrocks losing 45-22. Only one player scored in double digits with Logan Williams scoring 10. In their next game against Owensville, they lost 34-31 with again only one player reaching double digits witch was Logan Williams with 12. Their most recent game against St. Clair was a victory with 59-27 with 3 players reaching double digits. Isaac Vedder scored 10 points, Mitchell Meyer with 10, and Logan Williams with 31. The Shamrocks played Montgomery County on Tuesday, December 19.

In December, students and staff at New Haven middle and high school make the school merry and bright by adding tons of Christmas decorations and lots of lights. The senior hall is stylish with lights hanging from and on the ceilings, and lockers being decorated as Christmas trees. In the cafeteria there is huge Christmas tree by the entrance with ornaments displaying the seniors' names.

For the middle school we had a door decorating competition which is put on display in the 7th grade hallway. Posters can be viewed in the slideshow below. The winner of this year's contest is the 8B class with the theme "No Coal, Just Homework".

The cafeteria was cheerfully decorated on Tuesday, December 19th. The wonderful cafeteria staff provided the students and staff with a Christmas party. Tables were decorated with wrapping paper acting as a runner down the table and little Christmas presents spread down along the table.

Students and staff all like to make our school feel Christmas-y and cheery by adding tons of festive props and more. Next year, students hope to continue these great traditions.

Felony charges have been issued against Brian K. Epperson, age 32 from Beaufort stemming from an assault investigation that began earlier this month. On December 3, 2017 deputies received a report of an assault that took place outside out Union in the early morning hours. The victims, identified as an 18 year of age male and 16 year of age female, reported they were assaulted by an adult male who struck them both in the head with a crowbar. Witnesses identified Epperson as the suspect who struck the victims with a crowbar. The victims had received medical attention prior to making the police report. On, December 13, 2017 Epperson was arrested in Pacific on an unrelated outstanding Franklin County warrant for failure to appear on charges of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and no insurance. While in custody Franklin County Sheriff's Office investigators questioned Epperson in reference to the assault and he admitted to being involved in a physical confrontation with the victims. A search warrant was obtained for the vehicle Epperson was in when he was arrested and executed on December 15, 2017. Potential evidence of the assault was recovered from the vehicle. A warrant application was submitted to the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and he has been charged with two counts each of Assault 2nd degree and Armed Criminal Action. Bond was set at $25,000 cash only.

All people are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

New Haven High School presents two candidates from each class during Winter Ball coronation. The candidates are freshmen Rylan Ball and Maya Wideman; sophomores Demetri Pataky and Natalie Pecaut; juniors Joseph Rethemeyer and Grace Soete; and seniors Jason Kubiak and Emma Engelbrecht. Returning king and queen Zach Vedder and Lauren Gerlemann crown Emma Engelbrecht and Joseph Rethemeyer the 2017 Winter Ball king and queen. The crown bearer for this evening is Charlie Hausmann. ​

By: Kamryn PoeThe New Haven Scholar Bowl teams are starting another season off right. Returning scholars, as well as the newer athletes, have their hopes set high this year-- everyone is hoping to meet the standards last year’s members left.Dalton Gerdes, senior, said, “[The varsity team] looks good coming into the season.” Kallie Stubblefield made a similar comment about both teams this year. “The season is going pretty well so far, but there is always room for improvement.”Many of the newer teammates just started this year. Cece Malone commented, “...We have a lot of new players, so we're really trying to adapt to that. We don't really have that many Varsity players so that's a real challenge. But I think we'll get through it!”Freshman Alyssa Sidwell also had something to say about this season. She stated, “This season has been fun and I think we are improving.”The varsity team this year at Washington placed 27th out of 48 teams. The varsity team finished with a record of5-4.Mr. Pruessner, coach since 2010, voiced his opinion on how the Washington tournament went. He commented, “Overall, I was very happy with how they did. We beat several much larger schools, including Pacific, Parkway North, and Oakville. In addition, we were very close to how we finished last year and finished one place behind Hermann, one of our main competitors in the Four Rivers Conference. I hope that is a good sign for the rest of the season.”Mr. Pruessner had this to say about an earlier tournament: “At the Hermann tournament, we were actually able to play two separate teams. It was the first tournament for all but one of our nine players that day, and I think it was a good learning experience for everyone.”He continued: “Even though the freshmen team didn't win any games, they had some close ones against more experienced players. It was a good start, and I know if we study and continue to work, we'll be where we need to be.”Mr. Pruessner went on to say, “The sophomore team was able to win 3 games, led by John Hughes. He also placed third individually among all players, earning himself a medal. It was definitely a group effort for both teams though, and it was good to see everyone contribute.” Whether they like history, literature, math, science, etc., these scholars have enjoyed their time participating in the meets. “I love Scholar Bowl! Personally, I believe that joining the team has made me a more reliable, responsible, and leaderly person,” Kallie commented.Vanessa Vallejo, junior, said, “[Scholar Bowl] is fun and is a great experience. It also looks good on college applications.”“I love Scholar Bowl,” said Cece. “It's one of the few activities that I enjoy that's a part of the school. Mainly because I can excel at it!”Kallie and Cece both recommended that students reach out and join the Scholar Bowl team in later seasons. Cece said, “You don't have to be at the top of the class to be in Scholar Bowl. It's for everyone, really.”Kallie added, “Scholar Bowl is honestly a lot of fun! People usually don't join though, because they think they're not smart enough. I can tell you from experience that this just isn't true! Scholar Bowl covers a vast amount of subjects, and you learn a lot from your time on the team. Just like in sports, you get better as you gain more experience and knowledge. Don't be afraid to join Scholar Bowl!”According to these athletes, Scholar Bowl is a great activity that opens opportunities for students who want an alternative sport to participate in. The Shamrocks are just getting started and will be sure to dominate the rest of the season.

Each year the senior class gets together to decorate the senior hallway and the lunchroom however they wish. This activity allows the students to skip the last two periods of their day to participate in the decorating, and collaborate with others’ creativity.

On December 1st, the class of 2018 decided to wrap their lockers with their choice of wrapping paper. They were able to use paint, ribbon, and a lot of tape. They even had a little difficulty towards the end when one locker was unable to be opened.

Mackenzie Bauer stated, “I did red wrapping paper with white christmas designs on it!I was one of the last ones to decorate my locker because I was working on the big Christmas tree. So when I thought I was almost done, I shut my locker to see how it looked but when I tried to open it, I couldn't get it to budge. A bunch of the guys in our class tried to get it and eventually had to use screwdrivers to try and pry it open. It finally got opened and fixed!”

Emily Knoppe mentioned, “I used pink wrapping paper covered in little owls wearing Santa hats. I also tied ribbons around the door so it looks like a present!”

Dalton Gerdes stated, “I used snowman and green wrapping paper, with the green in the middle and snowman on top and bottom, with ribbon covering the seams.”

Not only did the seniors decorate their lockers, but they decorated the hall with lights hanging from the ceiling and the wall for the countdown till Christmas break. The windows in both the hallway and the cafeteria have a snow effect to make it look like it’s always cold inside and snowing outside.

Michelle Bahena mentioned, “I liked how the atmosphere changed from the stress of school to the joy of Christmas. I also liked decorating the cafeteria because I got to stand on a ladder, and I felt so tall!”

Many of the seniors enjoyed these last few hours as the decoration came to an end. The class of 2018 all gathered into the cafeteria to join together in front of the Christmas tree for the final touch.

​On Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at about 11:30 p.m. deputies were dispatched to the 600 Block of Boeuf Meadows Dr outside New Haven for a report of a male subject damaging vehicles at a residence. The homeowner and a neighbor had restrained the male suspect on the ground until deputies could arrive and take him into custody. Upon investigation deputies learned the male subject had damaged three of the homeowner's vehicles with a hand cart by breaking windows and denting the vehicle bodies. He had also assaulted the homeowner with the handcart causing minor injury. The male suspect was arrested for felony property damage and felony assault. He later admitted to being under the influence of a narcotic. The suspect is identified as a 27 year old Matthew R. Roque, from Washington. Warrants were issued for felony assault and property damage. Bond was set at $4,900.

All people are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Every year the New Haven Middle School participates in donating to Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child or OCC provides Christmas presents to children who wouldn’t normally receive any. This year, Mrs. Brenda Bailey helped STUCO by providing the organization with boxes to pack the items collected. OCC provides Christmas lists and ideas, and labels that go on the boxes to show what gender and age the items are for. The students thought that the boxes were so much fun to fill and it was a great way to give back to your community and remember what Christmas is really all about. This year STUCO collected 12 boxes from their members.

Below is the link to the website for Operation Christmas Child. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/occ-stories/​​

Amanda Dawn Koch is a part of the New Haven School District and has continued the Tradition Of Excellence as the band director and foreign language teacher for seven years. She graduated from Washington High School in May 2001. She then went on to the University Of Missouri to study physical therapy but changed her major to Education during her third year.

What first got Mrs. Koch into teaching was how influential her teachers were throughout her life and the impact that they made on her.

She was questioned on what she loves about teaching, and she said, “I love the fact that I can help individuals grow in every aspect of their life and that what I'm doing every day does make a difference.”

The question of what made her want to teach at New Haven was asked, and she replied, “Since I am originally from Washington, I have always been very familiar with New Haven and the great things that have always been achieved here. Then when the position for a band director became available, I thought, what a great opportunity-- close to home and a great school!”

In her free time, Mrs. Koch says she loves to play with her kids. She has three children. Colton, who is four, Shane, a two year old, and Heidi, a seven month old.

Mrs. Koch was asked if she had any favorite quotes, and she first said, “I love any inspirational quotes about being positive and moving forward.”

She then answered that her quote of choice is, “‘The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.’ -Winston Churchill.”

Mrs. Koch also wanted to add that, to her, “living life as teacher is the best life that could be lived!”

Thank you to Mrs. Koch for upholding our Tradition Of Excellence at New Haven High. Hopefully you will continue to teach the kids of the New Haven School District foreign languages and how to perform music.

By: Kenzie BauerThis year, FCA has organized a drive where each class is told the age of a child in need, and given a list of items the child wants. Once the items have been collected, FCA will wrap the presents for the kids, and they will be given to those families.

In the past, FCA members generously made a $200 donation to the Friendship Plate, where members also volunteer their time. Aside from this, FCA members also volunteer their time by standing outside local grocery stores to raise money for the Salvation Army.

FCA sponsor Renee Laune stated, "I am so proud of students and their dedication to our community. They always step up and help out our town and the people who need it the most. I simply have to ask for help and volunteers, and I always have students that rise to the challenge that is placed before them. Our students are perfect examples of how students can serve our community with their time and talents."

This fundraising started up when FCA member Lauren Gerlemann brought the idea to the FCA officers.

Lauren stated, “FCA is always giving to the community, and I think this is a great way to extend what this organization is all about. With winter time right around the corner, some kids are going to need clothing to keep them warm, and I think this is a perfect task for FCA.”

By: Diana RiberaOn December 1, Mrs. Borcherding took the students from the Publications class in NHHS to decorate the caboose during their school hour. They decorated for Santa at the Caboose, an event at which children can get on the caboose in downtown New Haven to make their Christmas list and then go see Santa Claus. Mrs. Borcherding was asked what the purpose of decorating the caboose was, and she said, “It's a fundraiser for the MAC Lab. All images are posted to zenfolio and the sales on zenfolio are used to purchase equipment and software.”The Publications class decided on a Winter Candyland theme for Santa at the Caboose after they brainstormed a few ideas. Sophomore Lydia Otten was asked if she liked what she decorated, and her response was, “Yes, because I love decorating, so I was in my element.”Some of the props made were candy canes, fake lollipops, and decorative boards that said “Santa at the Caboose” and explained where to buy the Santa pictures. These decorative boards were made by two juniors, Elsie McNabb and Miranda Durbin.A few of the students were asked what they did while they were over there, and junior Lexi Oetterer replied with, “I wrapped boxes to look like Christmas presents with Makenzie [Munsinger]. Makenzie and I also set up the Santa at the Caboose sign, and decorated the border.”Lydia answered the question with, “Michelle [Bahena] and I did the lights for outside and we made it attractive so that it would light the caboose up.”Diana Ribera, junior, was also questioned about what she did, and she said, “I mostly helped untangle lights since they were all tied together. I did help set up a few lights though, so that was fun.”Mrs. Borcherding said that it was a successful night, since eighty families showed up to take their pictures with Santa.

Saturday, December 2nd, Mrs. Oelrichs and National Honor Society hosted another successful, fun-for-all-ages Jingle Jog 5K. For the fourth year running, this event drew in many runners from our community. Many of the younger runners, like some of NHHS’s Cross Country boys, came for the friendly competition with their friends.

This year, just like in past years, the categories of runners were determined by age and gender.

The division for boys 9 and younger had only one runner, while the girls had four runners. For the boys in this category, Nick Kuntz had a finishing time of 30:18.84. Samantha Fleer finished the race with a time of 35:30.68, putting her in first for the category. Chloe Cronin, coming in second, had a time of 38:36.89. Just seconds behind, Maisy Hook, with a time of 38:38.53, came in third.

In the 10-13 age group for both boys and girls, there was a total of 23 runners. The girls’ first place runner, Alaina Worland, had a time of 23:31.68, while the boys’ first place runner, Andrew Rethemeyer, had a time of 20:55.40. The second place runners for both categories had times that were just minutes apart-- for the boys, Dylan Loeker had a time of 23:43.80. For the girls, Cierra Loeker had a time of 26:37.33.

For ages 14-19, both boys and girls had very close times, all just minutes-- sometimes even seconds-- apart. The top three male runners were Nathan Ford, Austin Tegeler, and Gavin Frick, finishing with times of 18:14.17, 22:03.72, and 22:48.02, respectively. The top three female runners were Mikayla Reed, Emma McIntyre, and Mckenzie Overschmidt, finishing with respective times of 18:15.71, 22:03.94, and 22:48.84.

With only women representing the category of 20-29, Rachel Horstmann finished first with a time of 35:41.30. Coming in second, Sahra Nelson finished with a time of 52:49.70. Last, but not least, the third place competitor, Alicia Roberts, finished with a time of 54:40.45.

Although there were fewer men competing in the 30-39 division compared to the women who ran, the men hung in close with the other competitors. Ed McNew came in first in the men’s category with a time of 23:35.43. Just minutes behind him came Will McFerrin, finishing with a time of 27:14.74. Alicia Brehe finished first in her category with a time of 25:07.59. Melissa Frick, coming in second, beat Karen Scheer by just 14 seconds, with times of 27:21.72 and 27:35.66, respectively.

For the category 40-49, both men and women gave it their all with times in between 23 minutes and 36 minutes. In first, for the men's category, was Mike Hagedorn with a time of 23:07.46. After him came Brian Tooley finishing with a time of 30:36.41. The victors in the women’s category were Elizabeth Bennett, Traci Unnerstall, and Tricia Fleer; with respective times of 31:43.98, 33:27.98, and 35:42.16.

In the 50-59 male division, Steve Roth finished with a time of 30:10.63. Then, for the women, Lisa Gerlemann finished in first with a time of 26:54.76.

Although only a total of four runners competed in the 60+ categories, the runners held in there with all the others. In the women's category, Carol Kuhlmann finished first with a time of 36:20.86. Coming in second, Jody Maune finished with a time of 40:13.78. For the men’s category, Tom Worland finished with a time of 32:25.90, putting him in first place. Behind him came Darrell Harren with a time of 43:32.30.

The runners with the overall best times were Nathan Ford with a time of 18:14.17, Mikayla Reed finishing with a time of 18:15.71, and Andrew Rethemeyer with a time of 20:55.40.

The most festive runner was Will McFerrin. The runner with the ugliest sweater was Nick Kuntz. Jenny and Aubrey Southerland had the best group attire. And finally, the winner of the Daily Run Company Gift Card drawing was Darrell Herron.As you can see, the 2017 Jingle Jog was indeed a wintery success. Good job to all the runners and be sure to come back next year!

On Friday, December 1, from 4:30-7 P.M., Santa was at the Caboose for all the families to visit and take photos. The kids were greeted by Mrs. Claus, and while the kids were waiting, they could color holiday coloring pages and write a letter to Santa. There was also tree-lighting, choirs performing, ornament-making, selfie stations, and a reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” with s’mores. In addition, the shops were open until 9 P.M.

“Santa at the Caboose was so fun! It was a great way to get ready [for Christmas] and in the spirit,” said Lydia Otten. “It was so awesome to see all of the kids get happy and excited to see Santa! I really enjoyed it because the youngest in my house is six and he will stop believing soon, so I soaked it all in.”

The event was organized by the Chamber of Commerce, Pinckney Bend, and the Downtown Merchants.

The Publications and TV/Video classes at NHHS had come up with the idea to decorate for the Caboose. Mrs. Katie Borcherding had taken the TV/Video class down to the Caboose on Thursday during their class, and she took the Publications class down on Friday during their class to set up the decorations. On Monday, the TV Studio class went back to the Caboose to take the decorations back down.

“I thought that it was great,” said Mrs. Borcherding. “It ran much more smoothly than last year, but that was the first year for the event.”

“When I was younger, I only got to see Santa once or twice and I didn’t enjoy it,” reflects Miranda Durbin. “Seeing so many kids and families get the chance to actually see Santa and take a photo with him is really heart-warming. I think it’s great that our community comes together to take advantage of this opportunity.”